Resident Evil Series Profile

IGNcube's lust for Resident Evil 4 is as ravenous as a zombie's hunger for human flesh -- and just like the zombies that are eager to take a bite out of Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy, Billy Coen, Rebecca Chambers, and Claire Redfield, RE4 is always just beyond our reach (at least until November). But that doesn't prevent us from overworking our salivary glands. In the hopes of spreading our Resident Evil infection throughout our readership, IGNcube is about to embark on a perilous journey through Resident Evil's past and future. This entails such chronicles as RE's storyline, how the series has evolved over the years, what makes RE4 so badass, and a fight between RE4 and the prior RE games.

Dear readers make sure you've got a healthy supply of herbs, enough shotgun shells to kill a herd of elephants, and watch out for bear traps as you tag along on our (bio) hazardous joyride through Resident Evil history.

(Cue cheesy voice)RESIDENT EVIL... Series Profile: The Story

There are several reasons why the Resident Evil series holds a special place inside our cold, dead hearts. With the release of Resident Evil, Capcominvented the genre of survival horror. There was nothing spookier than finally finding the coveted shield key -- only to unlock a room containing nothing but the faint, shuffling footsteps and distant moans of zombies. Walks down dimly lit corridors also held their own surprises -- like ferocious zombie dogs leaping through windows. Or that first terrifying encounter with a Hunter, which left your heart pounding and your clip empty. It was the first time we were afraid to play a game alone in broad daylight. Playing in the dark was one of our biggest mistakes, often resulting in what we like to dub "night terrors".

Of course, it wasn't just the outright scares that made Resident Evil so special. Part of it was the spooky atmosphere and environments that you romped through, including "deserted" mansions, laboratories, dank cellars, distant shacks, and destroyed cities. Many felt it was the zombie shooting (or fleeing), battles with grotesque creatures, hunts for obscure items, or grenade launching that kept them glued to their controllers. But the B movie storyline of corporate conspiracies and illegal experimentation is what truly made Resident Evil's flesh so appealing.

While, it's really the entire Resident Evil package that has made the series so endearing, it's the storyline aspect that we've chosen to focus on in this particular Resident Evil primer. We've compiled a chronological breakdown of Resident Evil's storyline for those that need to brush up on their history. If you haven't played the Resident Evil games -- and plan to -- you might want to skip this dossier.

Although Resident Evil Zero is the latest Resident Evil release (not counting the re-releases on GameCube), RE0 is actually the series' prequel. The initial concept promised to answer all those questions loyal fans had about the origins of the T-virus, and how it came to be unleashed on Raccoon City. Zero did tackle the origin story, but not exactly how fans had envisioned. Players actually learned about the events leading up to the "Mansion Incident." Allusions to a "Mother Virus" that spawned the terrors we encounter in previous RE games -- as well as scary leech men -- was made, but most of this information was divulged via documents and diaries. We won't deny that T-virus' creator James Marcus played a leading role, but fans noticed that the complete back story is missing (specifically motivations).